Letter: Rep. Moore's past homophobic remarks

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This defense was issued following a controversial decision by the UNC Student Congress during the Summer 1991 when most students were not on campus.

Citing North Carolina’s infamous “crimes against nature” law, then Student Congress Speaker Tim Moore sponsored legislation to end funding for the Carolina Gay and Lesbian Alliance.

In his own words during an interview with Black Inc., “There’s a clause which spells out that the Student Congress will not fund programs that are inconsistent with rules and regulations of the University and or the laws from the state of North Carolina.” When asked if he planned to target other minority groups on campus Moore responded, “A lot of folks don’t see the CGLA as a minority group, they see it as a group based on a chosen lifestyle. And aside from the question of legality it’s just improper to fund a group based on sexual life-style.”

Many students were quick to point out that the Carolina Gay and Lesbian Alliance did not promote sex in anyway. As Varsity Soccer player, Andrew Cohen, said at the time argued, “This is not a group called the ‘Anal Intercourse Club.”

Twenty-four years later, Tim Moore was elected as the youngest ever Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives. In this role, he has overseen repeated and relentless attacks against the LGBTQ+ community in North Carolina in pursuit of House Bill 2.

In this case Moore, yet again, cited a reason other than homophobia for his attempt to marginalize his fellow queer North Carolinians. Only this time, the outraged cost the state millions of dollars and jobs, most notably that of Moore’s good friend (former) Gov. Pat McCrory.

Does Tim Moore still believe that gay and lesbian organizations on college campuses should not be funded because they promote a “sexual life-style” that he views as “a crime against nature?” Is Tim Moore ready to come out of the closet as homophobic as a 1991 DTH Political Cartoon suggested? He owes it to not only his voters in Shelby, but to voters across the state to clarify his position on this issue.